CONCERT REVIEW: Bring Me The Horizon Play Biggest Dutch Show To-Date

Throughout the years, we have seen Bring Me The Horizon more than a few times. In 2013, while on tour to support the release of their album Sempiternal, Bring Me The Horizon played a show in front of 2.000 fans in Tilburg. After that, the venues become increasingly bigger, with the last 2 shows happening in the AFAS Live, with a capacity of 6.000. This year, with the tour surrounding the release of Post Human: Survival Horror Bring Me The Horizon upped their game once more, playing a very near to sold out show in Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, with a capacity of 17.000 people. A show of this magnitude calls for extraordinary support acts, and they were found in A Day To Remember, Poorstacy and Static Dress.

For us, the night started with the performance of Poorstacy, an American singer, rapper, and songwriter known for his unique blend of alternative rock, pop-punk, and hip-hop music. His music often features dark, introspective lyrics that explore themes of mental health, addiction, and personal struggles. We have been fans of his music for a while and were ecstatic to see the songs being delivered live. What unfolded, did not disappoint. While Poorstacy left the energetic aspects of the show to the band members, he focused on vocal delivery, which he knocked out of the park. In a live setting, Poorstacy’s songs sound way heavier than on the studio versions. This artist is going places, so be sure to keep an eye out for his new releases & tour schedule.

A Day To Remember are playing big shows on their own, but together with Bring Me The Horizon took it to an even bigger stage this evening. If you have ever been to A Day To Remember show, you know what’s going to happen. These guys have one of the greatest formulas when it comes to liveshows. As the lights dimmed and the opening notes of The Downfall of Us All filled the venue, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and screams. A Day to Remember wasted no time in launching into their set, which was a perfect mix of old and new songs, with each one eliciting a massive response from the crowd.

Even 14 years after its initial release, the band’s album Homesick still is featured the most on the band’s setlist, with 4 songs coming from this album. It comes to no surprise, as the band’s Spotify top 10 also consists of 5 songs from this album. It truly is timeless. Besides the many old & golds, the setlist also included Miracle, the band’s most recent single and Bloodsucker & Resentment from the latest full length album You’re Welcome. The band’s performance was enhanced by an impressive stage setup, complete with a giant LED screen that displayed the band’s logo and the use of steam cannons on key moments throughout the songs. A Day To Remember never disappoint and tonight was no exception.

Fast forward half an hour and the lights were dimmed for the last time that night. It was time for Bring Me The Horizon to showcase why they are arena-worthy. The whole aesthetic surrounding POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR was consequential for tonight’s show, which started with a public service announcement made from the screen, displaying a A.I. operative of sorts. The operative was scanning the crowd, requesting mosh and circle pits to initiate sequences. It was an innovative way of starting the show, and had a dystopian feel to it, in line with the band’s most recent album.

Kicking things off with Can You Feel My Heart, off of 2013 album Sempiternal, which recently saw a resurgence due to it going viral on social media platform TikTok, the tone for the evening was set. The setlist consisted of music the band has released in the last 10 years, with the oldest songs from being Sempiternal. Besides from the most recent album which was the theme for the tour, the band’s 2015 That’s The Spirit was also heavily featured, with 4 songs from the album on the setlist: Happy Song, Follow You, Drown & set closer and fan favourite Throne.

The band’s stage setup always was and probably always will be impressive, featuring a giant LED screen that displayed vivid visuals, as well as pyrotechnics, confetti cannons, and smoke machines that added to the overall spectacle of the performance. The lighting was also expertly done, with bright flashes and strobes that synced up with the music to create a mesmerizing visual experience, this combined with the dystopian theme of these aforementioned visuals, and you have yourself a truly extraordinary setting for an arena show.

Bring Me The Horizon have always been a band on the rise, taking on new levels of popularity with each subsequent release , but they have truly cemented their place in the industry with the release of 2013’s Sempiternal, which was also the first album to include keyboardist, programmer, and backing vocalist Jordan Fish. We were pleased to see the band include 3 songs from this album, but even more pleased with Oli Sykes asking the crowd whether they’d be interested in a Sempiternal 10 year anniversary show. Could something be in the works?

In conclusion, Bring Me The Horizon were on top of their game, until they most likely reinvent the game on the next tour and be on top of THAT game. A Bring Me The Horizon show is always a good idea, especially when the support acts are as good as they are on this tour. POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR Europe tour is one not to be missed. Get an idea of what the show looked like via the gallery below.

POORSTACY:

A Day To Remember:

Bring Me The Horizon:

Glenn van den Bosch

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